Please Fire Me: a Great Way to Vent at the Job You Can't Quit

I think we've all been trapped at a job that we hated at some point in our careers. These days, it's becoming almost insane to consider leaving a job, even one that you hate so much you cry on the way to work each day. The harsh reality is that in our current job market, quitting a job without a new one waiting is irresponsible because there's no guarantee that a new job will be easy to find. Even if you could find one in just a couple of weeks, there's no guarantee that it won't be just as bad, if not worse. Especially if you consider the odds.

When a company is looking to fill an empty position, it means that either the position is a new one, or the person who formerly did the job has either left or been promoted. So, if the past employee left, was it because he found a better job? Did she decide to retire or leave the workforce? Or, was the job so awful they were forced to leave, even though they didn't want to be out of a job? Which means there's a one in three chance that the job is open because the last person hated it.

So, what do you do when you absolutely hate your job, but can't afford to quit? For a growing number of unhappy employees, the solution is to vent about it on a website called “Please Fire Me”. The site has attracted a great deal of interest and has even developed a book deal. If you're frustrated at work or just want to hear stories from people who have it worse than you, here are a few of the experiences people have posted”

"Please fire me. My boss needs a new vocabulary. I’m really tired of shaking trees, circling wagons, thinking outside of boxes, and trying to be on the same page."

"Please fire me. I’m covering my superior’s job while she’s on maternity leave. I’m making the same amount I was at the regular position. The temp who’s covering my spot makes more than me."

"Please fire me. My boss’s wife sits right outside my office and texts all day. Every time she receives a text 'EVERYBODY DANCE NOW' plays… In Spanish… Meanwhile, her tiny dog sits next to my desk and growls at me. "

"Please fire me. Instead of paying their employees a reasonable wage, the company I work for invested in making a CD of Broadway-musical-style songs about the how awesome the company is. They play it to kick off every meeting. *jazz hands*"

I, for one, am so glad that I don't have their jobs. Although, the one about shaking trees and thinking outside of boxes is a familiar one. Many, many years ago I worked for a large corporation and the manager, or “team leaders” as they called them, were instructed to use pre-approved scripts when motivating or interacting with employees. While it was funny to ask the managers questions and watch them sort through a stack of scripts to find the relevant one to read, it also meant that most of the information the bosses gave us was of the “circle the wagons” and “banish fear” variety.

What were some of your worst “please fire me” moments? Please share your experiences in the comments.

Image source: MorgueFile